AUGUST 23, 2005

The driving of Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher is widely accepted as being the greatest driver of his era, although his complete domination of F1 statistics is sometimes mistaken for him being the greatest racing driver of all time. That is a subject about which there are many arguments, not least because of claims over the years of team orders, unfair advantages and his ruthless behaviour on the track, notably back in 1994 when he won the World Championship by punting Damon Hill off the road in Adelaide. He tried the same thing with Jacques Villeneuve in 1997 and failed and was subsequently punished by the FIA for that appalling manoeuvre at Jerez de la Frontera.

The F1 drivers have an understanding, agreed on the grounds of their own safety, that they will not weave about in braking areas before corners and that they will make only move. Schumacher, however, seems unable to grasp this concept (perhaps sub-consciously) because he is consistently getting into arguments with his fellow drivers about the same problem. In Melbourne this year Michael collided with Nick Heidfeld and in Malaysia faced an onslaught from his fellow drivers after which Michael was forced to apologise to his fellow drivers.

Mark Webber, who with Schumacher is one of the directors of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, is going to be raising the issue again when next the body meets. The Australian is furious about Schumacher's move in Turkey.